CORE A: ADMINISTRATIVE The Administrative Core will be responsible for the overall scientific, fiscal, and administrative leadership of the LIPID MAPS Consortium including cores, bridges and Participating Investigators. It will also be responsible for arranging and leading the meetings of the Advisory Committee, Steering Committee, and Operating Committee as well as meetings of Participating Investigators and other scientists working in the field of lipid metabolism. The Administrative Core will track the progress of all studies and will keep the P.I. appraised of their status. It will conduct biweekly video conferences in which the cores and bridges will present quarterly progress reports, and the Operating Committee will discuss any issues facing the Consortium. Lipids play important roles in normal physiological function and in many diseases. Determining how lipid levels and species change during the course of disease and in response to various pharmacological interventions will increase our understanding of disease processes and enhance our ability to develop effective new treatments. The Administrative Core will organize and facilitate the achievement of these aims by the LIPID MAPS Initiative.